Arrest for Cannabis in Ohio Leaves Young Man in Substantial Trouble

Ohio is a state that currently is not cannabis friendly on the recreational side. It’s not even that friendly for medical cannabis patients. If you have the notion of driving a delivery truck full of weed in a prohibition state, I warn you it’s a bad idea. On top of all the snitches out there, if you have out-of-state tags, you stand out like a wounded animal in the wild. Authorities will pick you off like an evening supper on the Sahara. This is precisely what happened to a 23-year-old now faces life-altering consequences because of choosing to transport a plant that is loved by the public and prohibited by the federal government.

During a traffic stop that was considered routine by Ohio State Patrol, troopers uncovered an estimated 1.2 million dollars worth of cannabis! The routine traffic stop took place in Madison County around 12 p.m. on November 19th. A Penske moving truck that had plates from Indiana was pulled over for a reported speeding violation on Interstate 70.

How it All Unfolded

Criminal indicators were present according to officers who brought in a drug-sniffing K-9. The search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of 250 lbs of weed. Troopers value their bust at approximately 1.2 million dollars, and we’re hoping that street value is by the gram. In actuality, 250 lb of pot would cost whoever purchased it around $1,000 a pound or less. This would place the value at $250,000 not 1.2 million. When sold on the streets though a pound of premium cannabis can fetch as much as $4,000 per pound. This is especially true in states still enforcing prohibition.

A 23-year-old by the name of Benjamin Malugani from Willits California was driving the Penske moving truck. If Benjamin is convicted of second-degree felony possession of marijuana and drug trafficking charges, he could face a fine up to $15,000 and 8 years in prison.

Traffic stops like these only show that draconian marijuana prohibition has failed. If cannabis were legal in Ohio the chances of black market cannabis making its way to the state would substantially decrease.

The Twisted Hypocrisy of Cannabis in Ohio

Ohio has a confusing set of regulations and rules. Ones that were set to be ironed out in 2 years regarding medical marijuana. This obviously didn’t happen. While possession of a hundred grams or less is legal in Ohio, it is still illegal for recreational use. Medical consumption of cannabis is ok, but laws still put medical cannabis patients at risks.

For example, you can legally possess medical marijuana in Ohio with the proper documentation. But the possession of drug paraphernalia is still a minor misdemeanor in the state. This means by all technicalities you could face a misdemeanor for having papers or a pipe. Though, you would be able to have and keep your medical marijuana. As positive cannabis reform makes more progress across the nation, the United States is sure to see other states follow responsible cannabis reform and arrests like these to become minimal.

Ashley Priest is a mother, a wife, a writer and a medical cannabis patient. She has a passion for sharing education surrounding cannabis with the world to help remove the negative stigmas that still surround cannabis in many places today.